Vacuum clothes brush



Oct. 17, 1933. J, sKlDELSKY 1,930,778

VACUUM CLOTHES BRUSH Original Filed July 25, 1929 4 Sheets-SheetINVENTOR Michael J. Skidelsky M. J SKRDELSKY VACUUM CLOTHES BRUSHOriginal Filed July 25, 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Ill villi/ 40mm \NVENTORM/C/7d8/ J 5lfldclsky,

H's ATTMEY r-" 08L M. J. SKIDELSKY 1,93%??9;

VACUUM CLOTHES BRUSH Original Filed July 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTORMichael J- Skids/sky,

HIS ATTORNEY Get 1'2, 1933- M. .2. SKEDEUBKY 3 momma CLOTHES sRusaOriginal Filed July 25, 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR M/cha e/ JSkids/sky H15 ATTORNEY Patented Oct. 17, 1933 Michael J. Skidelsky,

Canad Ottawa, Ontario, a

Application July 25,1929, Serial No. 380,949 Renewed March 8, 1933 3Claims.

This present invention relates to certain new and useful improvements ina vacuum clothes brush.

The primary object of the invention resides in the provision of a vacuumclothes brush which is highly eflicient in operation as well andinexpensive in construction.

Another object of the invention resides in the provision of a vacuumclothes brush which will efficiently draw the dust and dirt from clothesand the like when passed over the same.

of the invention resides'in the as simple and efficiently employed forbrushing clothes and the like to thoroughly cleanse the same bywithdrawing all dirt therefrom by means of vacuum suction. j

The invention has for a further object the provision of a vacuum clothesbrush of the character stated which will serve to draw dustand dirt outof clothing and the like as Well as brushing the same as the brush ismoved over the surface, thus thoroughly cleaning the fabric and removingdust and other foreign matter from between the threads of the surface.

The invention has for a still further object the provision of a vacuumclothes brush of the character stated which will thoroughly cleanclothing and other articles of fabric without requiring a scratching orscraping of the surface or digging out of the dust and other foreignmatter from between the threads, as required by the use of the ordinaryclothes brushes and the like, now in general use.

The invention has for a still further object the provision of a vacuumclothes brush of the charaster stated which is portable and formed sothat the operative parts are enclosed in the body of the brush so as toeliminate possibility of the operative parts coming into contact withthe surface over which the brush is operated.

The invention has for a still further object the provision of a vacuumclothes brush of the character stated which is electrically operated andrequires only the minimumpower for efficient operation.

The invention has for a still further object the provision of a vacuumclothes brushv of the character stated in which the entire body isutilized to the best advantage and the series of brushing members firmlyheld by the brush body.

The invention has for a still further object small cost,

the provision of a vacuum clothes brush of the character stated whichmay be operated either scribed, illustrated in the accompanying drawingsand pointed out in the claims hereunto apv pended.

The invention will be best understood and can be more clearly describedwhen reference is had to t e drawings forming a part of this disclosure,wherein like throughout the several views.

In the drawings:-

Figure 1 is a perspective of vacuum clothes brush; Figure 2 is a viewsimilar at the vacuum clothes brush from a different and disclosing theopposite end thereof;

Figure 3 is a plan view of the vacuum clothes brush with the slide coverfor the body removed;

Figure 4 is alongitudinal vertical section, taken substantially on theplane of line 4-4 of Figure 3, looking in the direction indicated by thearrows;- I a v r Figure 5 is a bottom plan view of the vacuum clothesbrush;

Figure 6 is a transverse vertical section, taken substantially on theplane of line 6-6 of Figure 4, looking in the direction indicated bythe100 arrows; I

Figure 7 is a perspective view of the improved vacuum clothes brushshowing a slightly modified form thereof; v V

Figure 8 is a top plan view of the brush as shown in Figure '7, with theslide cover for the body removed;

Figure 9 is a longitudinal vertical section through the improved vacuumclothes brush, taken substantially on the plane of line 9 9 of 110 theimproved characters indicate like parts to Fig ure l, looking Figure 8,looking in the direction indicated by mentioned. Within thisruppertangentially extending air passage the arrows;

Figure 10 is a bottom plan view of the modified form of clothes brush,shown in Figures '7, 8 and 9; and

Figure 11 is a substantially on ure 9, looking in arrows.

Referring more in detail to the drawings, it is to be noted'that thehollow body 16 is of rectangular form and has fiat ends 17 and atransversely curved top 18. A slide cover 19 is also employed andextends from one end of the body to a point near the opposite endthereof, the slide cover 19 being in width almost equal to body 16, andslidable by way of one end of the body. The slide cover 19 has a notch20 or the like provided in its upper face to receive a finger forremoving or withdrawing the slide cover 19. The slide cover 19 also hasside flanges 21 which work in grooves in the sides of the body sidethereof, so as to provide for proper fitting of the slide cover 19 onthe body 16. The sides of the body 16 are provided with elongatedsubstantiallyoval depressions22, to permit a firm gripping of the bodyby the thumb and fingers of the hands engaged over or across the top ofthe body 16. f v

The body 16 of the brush is hollow anddivided into compartments, theupper compartment 23 opening on the top of the brush body and beingclosed by the slide cover 19, previously compartment 23 or chamber islocated a small electric motor 24 which may be operated by a smallconventional battery 25 also positioned in the upper compartment 23. Themotor 24 is preferably located near one end of the compartment 23 whilethe battery 25 occupies the other end thereof. One of the terminalmembers 26 of the battery 25 is adapted for resilient engagement with acontact member 2'1 mounted in the compartment 23 and insulated from thebody in an appropriate manner. Electrical connections 28-are'providedbetween the contact member 26 and the motor 24. The motor 24, aswill beapparent, may be grounded with the brush body 16 and a slidable switchcontact or circuit'closing member 29may be employed for engagement withthe other. contact or terminal member 30 of the battery 25 when it isdesired to complete the circuit through thebattery 25 and the motor24'to operate the latter from said battery 25. The slidable switchcontact member 29 is slidable in the elongated longitudinal slot.31 inone-side of the brush body 16, so that the circuit through the battery25 and the motor 24 may bereadily closed or opened, as desired, byproper adjustment of the slidable switch contact member 29 within theslot 31. i

The motor 24is so positioned in the upper compartment 23 that one end ofthe main shaft 32 thereof, depends into the suction fan compartment 33beneath a portion of the upper compartment 23, said depending end of themotor main shaft 32 carrying thereon, within the 33, a conventionalsuction fan 34, working over the opening 35 in the bottom wall of thesuction fan compartment 33 and which bottom wall 36 serves also 'asthebottom wall of the brush body 16. Leading from the side of thesuctionfan compartment 33 is the the plane of line 11-11 of Figthe directionindicated by the transverse vertical section, taken .flanges 42 workingin 16 adjacent the top or upperv also inclined and opens at its inclinedrestricted discharge end into the dust collecting chamber 38 arrangedvertically and transversely in the adjacent end of the brush body 16.This chamber 38 has a plurality of air outlet openings 39 in its sidewall, extending through the sides of the brush body 16, ,at the endthereof and covered on the inner face of said wall with a screeningmaterial 40 such as silk, or some other appropriate screening materialof fine weave. The compartment 38 may be readily cleaned of the dust,dirt and other foreign matter accumulated therein by removing thecleanout door 41 therefor, which is slidable transversely of the end ofthe brush body 16 and has longitudinal side appropriate grooves in theupper and lower walls of the cleanout opening of said compartment 38.The door 41 may also be provided with a finger receiving notch 43 or thelike to provide for ready removal or withdrawal of'thedoor 41.

The bottom wall 36, as well as serving as the bottom wall of the suctionfan compartment 33, also serves as'the bottom wall for the compartment44opposite the compartment 33 and extending to the other end of the brushbody 16. This compartment 44 is beneath the battery 25 and may be leftas a vacant or dead compartment to reduce the weight of the body 16 tothe minimum., Thewall 36 is preferably provided on its underface with aplurality of ribs 45 radiating from the opening 35 in the wall 36 towardthe sides and the far end of the body 16 while the underface of the wall36 is smooth and concave in the other directions from the opening 35 andtoward the near end of the brush body 16. The edges of'the wall 36connect with the side walls and end walls of the body 16, slightly abovethe lower edges thereof, so as to provide a space in the bottom orunderside of the brush body'lfi to accommodate a rectangular brushsupporting frame 46, which is removably supported in position by aseries of clamping screws 46a or other appropriate means extendinginwardly through the end walls 1''! of the brush body 16 and bindingagainst the ends of the brush carrying frame 46.

The brush carrying frame 46 includes a number of downwardly openinglongitudinal channels 47 supporting. rows of bristles 48 therein andtransverse end channels 49 of corresponding character likewisesupporting therein brush bristles 50'. The brush bristles 48 and 50project for some distance below the bottom edge of the brush body 16 soas to effectively serve the purpose of brushing the surface over whichthe vacuum clothes brush is operated to loosen the dirt and dust on. thematerial and below the surface thereof, so that the action of thesuction fan 34 may serve to draw all oft-he dirt readily from thesurface and from beneath the surface thus assuring a thorough cleaningof the material.

In the modified form of the invention disclosed in Figures '7 to '11inclusive, the motor 24 is designed to be operated from a source ofelectrical energy outside of thebrush body 16, the electrical currentbeing supplied to the motor 24 through the medium of the electriccurrent conducting wires 51 and 52 extending out of one end 17 of thebrush body 16,'through the insulation plug 53 removably secured bythreading or other means, in said ends 1'7 of said brush body 16. Thecurrent conducting wire 51 is connectedw'ith the contact member 27awhich in turn is electrically connected to the electric motor 24, by theelectrical connecting means 28a, the contact 27:; and the electricalconnecting means 28a corresponding respectively to the contact member 27and the connecting means 28 in the preferred form of the invention. Thewire '52 is attached to the terminal plate 30a which in this form, takesthe place of the contact or terminal member 30 in the preferred form.The contact member ranged in the brush body 16 for engagement by body16, the same as in the preferred form of the invention. It will thus beseen that this modified form is substantially the same as the preferredform, in all of the essential featuresof construction and will just asefiiciently serve the purpose rangement of the several the hollow body16 may parting materially from the first form For instance, the suctionfan accommodating compartment 33 may be arranged with its main or thecentre of the body and the suction fan 34 thus located at the with themotor 24 J compartbrought to the cen- Otherwise, the conof the variousparts of the vacuum clothes brush in this modified form correspondclosely to the construction and compartments within be varied withoutde- As the construction of the device has thus been described in detail,brief reference is now had to its use and modus operandi: To operatethis vacuum clothes brush it is simply necessary to clasp the brush body16 by placing the hand over or across the same, so that either the thumbor a finger may be employed for operating the electric switch contactmember 29 for closing and opening the electrical circuit through themotor 24. The brush may be passed over clothing or other articles tocause the brush bristles 48 and 50 to agitate the surface and loosendirt, dust and other foreign matter from on the surface and beneath thesame, so that all such dust, dirt and foreign matter may be brush, bythe suction fan 34 with all of the extracted or gathered dust, dirt andthe like, passing by way of the air passage 37 into the compartment orchamber 38 of the brush body 15 and from which compartment or chamber 38it may be later removed, whenever it is desired to clean-out the brushbody 16. It is thus apparent that the article, or material over whichthis brush is operated while the electric current is employed to drivethe motor 24, the surface will be thoroughly brushed and all dirt, dustand other foreign matter removed therefrom. The brush may be employedfor cleaning various other articles, materials and surfaces, as well asclothing, for which it is particularly designed.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings, it will be manifest that a vacuum clothes brush is providedthat will fulfill all the necessary requirements of such a device but asmany changes 30a is ar-' 8 could be made in the above description andmany apparently widely different embodiments of my invention may beconstructed within the scope 'of the appended claims without departingfrom the spirit or scope thereof, it is intended that allmatterscontained in the said accom panying' specification and drawings, shallbe interpreted as illustrative and not in a limited sense.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:

1. A vacuum clothes brush including a rectangular hollow body havinglongitudinal horizontal partition members therein dividing the body intoupper, lower and intermediate compartments and a vertical transversepartition adjacent one end providing a vertical transverse end mentwithin said body with am outlet in one end wall of the said body; theuppermost and lowermost longitudinal compartments in said body havingopen upper and lower faces respectively; compartments in said bodyhaving an air entrance opening in its lower wall and both its upper andlower walls curved upwardly at one end and delivering into the upperportion of said vertical transverse end compartment; the lowermosthorizontal compartment of said body serving to accommodate a brushcarrying frame with rows of brush bristles therein projecting past thelower edge of said body; said last mentioned intermediate horizontalcompartment of the body serving as a suction fan accommodatingcompartment to draw in dirt, dust and the like loosened by the brushbristles and deliver said dust, dirt and the like into said verticaltransverse end compartment; a removable cleanout door in said end wallof the body and closing the outlet of said compartment; a suction fan insaid last mentioned intermediate horizontal compartment and a suctionfan motor and motor control means for operating said fan mounted in theuppermost compartment in said body.

2. A vacuum clothes brush including a rectangular hollow body havinghorizontal partition plates therein dividing the same into upper, lowerand intermediate horizontal compartments with said horizontal partitionplates having one end curved upwardly and connecting with a verticaltransverse partition plate forming a transalso having a clean-outopening in one wall vertical transverse end one of said intermediatehorizontal 1; 1 ,1 laud out door removably secured in said outlet openling; the lower horizontal partition plate also having a concave underface and an opening through said partition plate, a suction fan in theintermediate horizontal compartment of said body and immediately abovethe opening through said lower partition plate; a removable brushingelement supported in the lower side of said body; said body having itsupper side open and exposing the interior of the uppermost horizontalcompartment of said body; and a suction fan operating motor and motorcontrol means in said uppermost horizontal compartment of said body fordriving said fan. 3. A vacuum clothes brush including a rectangularhollow body adapted to be held in the hand of the user having a concaveupper side with the greater portion thereof open; a slide cover plate oftransverse concavo-convex form closing said open upper side of the body;said body having its interior divided into horizontal compartments and avertical transverse end, compartment by partition members within saidbody; said body having elongated longitudinal depressions in itsopposite side walls and screened perforations in said side walls openinginto the transverse vertical end compartment in said body; saidtransverse vertical end compartment having a clean-out opening extendingthrough one end wall of said body; a removable cleanout door for saidoutlet opening of said transverse vertical end compartment; said bodysup porting in its open under side a brushing element; a suction fanaccommodated in one of the horizontal compartments of said body fordrawing into said compartment, dust, dirt and the like loosened by saidbrushing element and delivering said dust, dirt and the like into saidtransverse vertical end compartment of the body; an operating motor forsaid suction fan and control means for said motor accommodated inanother of said horizontal compartments in said body and an actuatingmember for, said control means projecting through one side wall of saidbody and into the depression in said side wall.

MICHAEL J. SKIDELSKY. [L.s.]

